Preston County: Forest Trails, Rivers, and History
Accommodation in Preston County
Hiking trails through old forests, a whitewater section on the Cheat River, and places rooted in Appalachian and New Deal history give Preston County its distinctive character. If nature is the main focus of your trip, you can make trails and protected areas your priority; if you also enjoy discovering regional traditions and history, you’ll find other destinations for that. These interests offer different points of reference when choosing a place to stay and a vacation rental.
Forest Landscapes and Trails
Cathedral State Park combines a remarkable forest landscape with a manageable range of hikes: its three miles of trails wind through West Virginia’s largest old-growth forest. The park is also home to one of the state’s largest stands of undisturbed hemlock trees. If you’re making old trees and forests the focus of your trip, you can plan a visit to this park as a destination in its own right.
Cranesville Swamp Nature Preserve offers a different natural setting. Cranesville Swamp is a frost-pocket landscape, and its environment is reminiscent of habitats found farther north in Canada. The preserve has five trails, including a 1,500-foot-long boardwalk. Its distinctive landscape and boardwalk make a visit an alternative to longer trails elsewhere in the county.
For longer outings, Coopers Rock State Forest in Preston County offers nearly 50 miles of hiking trails. The forest is also home to the remains of the Henry Clay Furnace, a destination for hiking and biking. This makes it possible to combine an interest in history with an active exploration of the forest, without making both experiences about the same thing.
River and Rail Trails
The Cheat River offers a different kind of experience: guided trips are available near Albright on the Class V whitewater section. The Upper Cheat River Water Trail currently has nine established access points. If you’d like to include river activities in your trip, you can take these destinations into account when choosing where to stay.
The rail trails also offer different route options. The Deckers Creek Rail-Trail runs along Deckers Creek for 19.5 miles. The Masontown Trailhead has restrooms in an Elkins Coal and Coke building dating from 1907. The southern, disconnected section of the WV Northern Rail-Trail is open in Tunnelton and covers about one mile. The open Kingwood section starts at Kingwood Trailhead Park. The information about the two open sections describes separate segments, not a continuous connection.
Places and Regional History
There are several ways to discover history in Preston County. Arthurdale is the nation’s first New Deal subsistence homestead project. At the Aurora Area Historical Society Museum, a collection of historic buildings and artifacts tells the story of early life in Appalachia. The Aurora General Store Museum displays authentic items from the 19th and early 20th centuries. In Rowlesburg, the Szilagyi Center is housed in a historic school building dating from 1910.
A regional tradition takes center stage at the annual Preston County Buckwheat Festival in Kingwood. The offerings include buckwheat cakes and sausage. If you’d like to experience this festival tradition, you can make the festival a reason in its own right to plan a trip. The other historic destinations offer different perspectives, ranging from settlement history and everyday objects to a school building.
Places in Preston County
You can also include Kingwood, Tunnelton, and Terra Alta as you explore the county.
For the broader travel overview: West Virginia.
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